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This Just Happened: The Joker Recruits The Riddler

This Just Happened: The Joker Recruits The Riddler

SPOILER ALERT: If you have not read BATMAN #15 and do not wish to know what happens, stop reading this post now (major spoilers ahead!)

From the creative team of co-writers Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV and artist Jock, “Red Light, Green Light” serves as more than just the back-up story to BATMAN #15. It also marks the return of one of the most infamous members of Batman’s rogue gallery: The Riddler!

In “Red Light, Green Light”, Edward Nigma aka The Riddler witnesses The Joker’s “remodeling” of Arkham Asylum firsthand. But when the Clown Prince of Crime makes a personal visit to Nigma’s cell, he discovers the horror that The Joker has in store for Gotham. Will The Riddler play a role in The Joker’s grand scheme or does he have plans of his own? Share your thoughts and predictions in the comments section below!

“The fun thing about the backups is that they're where James Tynion and I can take a little time to slow down with Joker and explore his relationships with the other rogues (even as he enlists them in whatever it is his bigger plan may be),” Snyder exclusively told THE SOURCE. “In this one, James and wanted to push the story forward, giving hints of the terrible things coming in #16, but also to take a moment to play the Riddler against Joker, to see what they think of each other. For us, the Joker is the devil's tongue to the heroes, he's all about whispering your nightmares to you, making them come to life. But with Riddler, it's very different. Riddler is someone Joker respects, or wants to respect, if that makes sense. He wants to see Riddler be the scariest villain to Batman he can be, and in doing so, make Batman stronger. And the way Riddler can be stronger, according to Joker, is to challenge Batman's intellect - no one can best Batman in smarts like the Riddler. It’s his job, then, to keep Batman sharp as a blade. It was a blast writing this one - and Jock and David's art is perfect for it: unsettling, kinetic and scary. I hope you enjoy it.”

Stay tuned to THE SOURCE for more about “Death of the Family” and BATMAN in the coming weeks. But in the meantime, check out The Joker and The Riddler side-by-side in the last page of “Red Light, Green Light” below and be sure to pick up a copy of BATMAN #15, in stores now!